No. 6 Florida Starts SEC Play 2-0 With Sweep of Alabama

Sunday, September 25

Tuscaloosa, AL

1 PM

Florida Gators

12-1, 2-0SEC

Alabama

12-3, 1-1SEC

Florida

Alabama

Florida added its 12th straight win with the sweep at Bama.

No. 6 Florida Starts SEC Play 2-0 With Sweep of Alabama

Sunday, September 25, 2016 | Volleyball

Box Score

The Gators swept the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa for their 12th straight win.

By: Kelly Sobers

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- No. 6 Florida finished off its SEC opening weekend with a 3-0 sweep (25-22, 25-14, 25-19) at Alabama Sunday in Foster Auditorium to improve to 12-1 on the season with an undefeated start to SEC play.

The Gators added their 12th straight victory behind an Allie Monserez double-double and a potent Florida offense that hit .375 with three Gators, Rhamat Alhassan (.625), Rachael Kramer (.727) and Alex Holston (.444), all above a .400 clip. The Orange and Blue posted 11 blocks to Alabama's three and held the Crimson Tide to a .196 efficiency with their stability in the back row.

Monserez served up a career-tying three aces to accompany 10 digs and 43 assists, her most in a three-set match this season. Holston posted a team best 15.0 points and Shainah Joseph had a season high four blocks as Florida maintained its undefeated record all-time against Bama (42-0).

In a close first set, it was a battle of the right sides, Holston with five kills and Alabama's Krystal Rivers with nine. After Florida got out to a 9-4 lead, Bama climbed within one point at 12-13, but that's as close as the Crimson Tide would get. A late Alabama rally narrowed the Florida advantage 23-21 until the veterans, Holston and Alhassan, struck to finish it off 25-22.

Florida cruised through the second with a number of highlights, including four blocks and a .452 efficiency. Joseph was alive on the block en route to a season best day for her at the net. The Gators strung together a 6-0 run through the heart of the frame, thanks in part to Sam Dubiel behind the service line. The Orange and Blue were potent on the block with roofs at points 14, 16 and 17 to help keep momentum in the Gators' favor down the stretch. Two straight Monserez service aces and kills from Kramer and Carli Snyder closed it out for the 2-0 UF lead at the break

The Orange and Blue finished it off with a 25-19 third frame for the Gators' first sweep in SEC play and their eighth 3-0 victory so far in 2016.

Florida will have a quick turnaround with SEC foe Kentucky heading to Gainesville Wednesday for an 8 p.m. SEC Network mid-week clash in the Lemerand Center.

WORDS FROM WISE
"To come in and beat this Alabama team, which was on such a great run and played so well on Friday night, speaks volumes about our preparation and execution."

THE RECORDS
No. 6 Florida: 12-1
Alabama: 12-3

NOTABLES AND TRENDS

Florida improved to 42-0 all-time against Alabama, 40-0 under Mary Wise and is now 20-0 all-time in Tuscaloosa
With two wins to open SEC play, UF is now 417-45 (.902) all-time in SEC play, including a 391-23 mark under Mary Wise
The Gators have now held 10 of 13 opponents under a .200 clip after including limiting the Crimson Tide to a .196 efficiency Sunday afternoon
For the third time this season, the Gators had no reception errors (Michigan State, Jacksonville, Alabama). Defensively, the Orange and Blue have been stellar on serve-receive with seven matches of one reception error or less
Florida had 11 blocks to Bama's three, giving the Orange and Blue five double-digit block efforts in the last six matches, and seven double-digit block matches so far this season
Rachael Kramer turned in a career-best .727 efficiency Sunday afternoon at Foster Auditorium

ON THE HORIZON
After the weekend road trip to open SEC play at Ole Miss and Alabama, the Orange and Blue will open the conference season at home against foe Kentucky Wednesday in the Lemerand Center. First serve between the Gators and Wildcats is slated for 8 p.m. on SEC Network with Sam Gore and Missy Whittemore on the call. As always, Gator fans can catch the action on ESPN Gainesville (95.3 FM / AM 850) with Tom Collett and Josh Crow.

BROADCAST INFORMATION VS. KENTUCKY
Wednesday, Sept. 28, vs. Kentucky
TV: Live on SEC Network | Stream: WatchESPN | Radio Stream (Tom Collett) + live on ESPN Gainesville (95.3 FM / AM 850) | Live Stats

SCOUTING THE KENTUCKY WILDCATS
vs. Kentucky (Sept. 28) | 9-4 overall in 2016
(Florida has won 10 of last 12 meetings)

Florida leads: 50-11 (48-4 under Mary Wise)
3-set: 35-5; 4-set: 9-1; 5-set: 6-5
Home: 24-5; Away: 22-5; Neutral: 4-1
Last Time Out: Oct. 18, 2015 at Lexington | W, 3-1 (22-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-20)